Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-26
HEALTH OF THE ARMY.
Report Of SurgeOn.General Moore.
SICKNESS AND DEATH AMONG THE sOLDIHRs-IHI
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM, ETC, BTc.


SICKNESS AND DEATH AMONG TIE soLDIxRs-1Hs
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM, ETC., ETC.
In his annual report 10 the Secretary Of War
Surgeon-General John Moore says that the money
value OF the medical and hospital supplies issued
during the last fiscal year was $159, 1885, and the
cost Of supplies required during the current fiscal
year will undoubtedly exceed that amount He
recommends that the limit OF the amount OF the
pay Of employees Of the medical department be In
creased $S6,U00, IND that authority be granted to
purchase supplies, costing less than $780, without
formal contract
The report shows that the mean strength OF the
forces serving in the Atlantic coast region was
2,225; the number Of men daily non-enective on
account Of sickness, 90; the discharges from disa
Diiity, So ana the deaths, - The period OF great
prised The months Of Jnne, tulY, and Angua; the.
pcnods OF the least sickness during the months Of
Fla, gave the highest death rate, 30 per 1000.
THE TROOPS ABOUT WASHINGTON. '
In the eastern timber region, between the coast
region and the Appalachian Mountain region In
which there are force Of GIG men and 10 mill
tary stations, including Washington Barracks and
WAS The dscSaraes Ssr 20 Sicx
numbered 49, and deaths g. The ratio OF deaths
per 900 was z. The admission rate per 1000 ut
washington Barracks was l,S21, and at For Myer
400 The period OF greatest sickness in this sec
tion comprised July, August ana September. when
ahe the non,enec5ive force averaged 35 per 1000
were malarial fever, venereal diseases alcoholism
and typhoid levers.
IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY.
In the Appalachian region there we're neither
discharges nor deaths during the year. In the
northern lake region the deaths numbered 10 In a
force of ], 192 men. In the region OF the central
timbered plains and hills the number Of deaths
Was 13 10 force OF ia men. On the Gulf coast
deaths In the prairie region numbered 43 In force
OF 38o8, which Is In the ratio OF IL per 1OOO In
the Cordiileras In force OF 6,O6s men toe deaths
numbered 55 The force ON the Pacific Coast COM
prtsed y:sS2 men, and the deaths were l2.
TAKING THE ARMY As A WHOLE
the average loss OF time for each man during the
year was II days against Is for 1885 and l8 for
the preceding decade. The death-rate was s.s per
1000 being higher than that for 1885, which was
ever, considerably lower than Tor the preceding
decade, which was l1.4 Jefferson barracks, MS
souri, was the station at which the preatest
amount or sickness was reported.
THE ARMY MEDICAL MUsEuN
Two thousand one hundred and twenty-three
specimens were added to the medical museum
during the year, making the total number Of
specimens 26,O72. The Surgeon-General says that
with the removal OF tue museum TO the new fire-
PROOF building Will undoubtedly come large ac.
cessiOns OF specimens from all parts OF the United
States Touching the hospital corps, the Surgeon
6cucTdi Sdy > tuc OutTOu3 anu frequently ddURer-
GUS service performed by the prvates of this CORPS
entities them IN his opinion to extra pay, and he
rec0mmends an allowance OF 20 cents per day to
be added to their pay. =.
PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL
The number OF patients admitted to Providence
Hospital during the year was eight hundred and
twenty three, and the number Ia the hospital at
the beginning OF the last fiscal year was eighty
SIX, making the total number treated nine nun
dred and nine The number remaining In the
hospital at the end OF the year was eghty-seven.
The army medical board at New York examined
Tor promotion eight assistant surgeons; ninety
three CANDIDATES l0r appointment TO the medical
corps were invited to examination, sixteen were
found .quained, twenty-one We're rejected and
thlrty-tw0 withdrew after partial Examination.
In concluding his report the Surgeon-General
says: ''rhe number OF medical Officers perma-
nently disabled Is becoming q matter OF serious
embarrassment To the Department and renders
necessary under contract the employment OF
private physicians, an expensive and unsatisfac-
tory procedure" He therefore recommends that
an increase OF twenty assistant surgeons be au-
thorzed, which IL Is believed viii meet the neces-
stiles OF the service.